2008JeffJourney

May 8, 2008: Back to Texas

Location: NM, Carlsbad Caverns, TX: Prude Ranch in the Davis Mountains

Weather: Always a constant 56 degrees in the cave, 90’s and Sunny as we approached TX

Mileage: 1700 miles

Due to the time change (Mountain Time) we were up with the sun. D&J disappeared and came back with a dead bird that D shot with his sling shot. There was deep disappointment on his face when his dad said, “No. We are not going to skin and eat it!”

On that note we headed back to Carlsbad Caverns to descend 750 thigh-strengthening feet into the Natural Entrance. The large colony of swallowtails was as much fun to watch as the bats the night before. There were nests up in the rock ledges where we watched them feeding their babies. We wandered the steep, dark paths down into the enormous Big Room with incredible formations that will spark anyone’s imagination. The Jr. Ranger Badge Booklets led us on a scavenger hunt of the cave formations and unique characteristics of this cave. Into mile 2 enthusiasm began to wane. L, especially, became a droopy soul leaning on every railing and complaining of being hungry and cold. We were all happy to see the sun as we took the elevators to the top.

Now to dash to get the Jr. Ranger Badges and get our camper off the site in 20 minutes! Divvying up the responsibilities in the car made breaking down camp possible in 30 minutes. We didn't make it, but we were only 30 minutes late getting off the site. Since we didn’t get lunch we decided to eat at the local greasy spoon, Jack’s Saloon. It lived up to its name. Sometimes a little grease can make you happy. The kids couldn’t resist running up a hill to explore a little house that looked like a sand castle. Though disappointed that it was surrounded by a fence, they still were enthusiastic in their descriptions of what they imagined life in a house like that would be like.

The Guadalupe Mountains was on the hope list to explore but we didn’t have time. We decided to still drive through. Little did we know how difficult it would be to keep the camper on the road due to the wind. We guessed this was the usual since there were signs warning of high winds and the road stop picnic tables were surrounded by two walls. We passed by the highest point in Texas. It is 4,000 ft taller than Brasstown Bald (GA’s highest point that we climbed last fall.) There was no temptation to climb this record breaking height.

Once more we targeted a small town, Van Horn, to find a grocery store to hopefully get some fresh fruit and vegetables.  While K and I shopped Craig took the kids to the Dairy Queen to get ice cream. They quickly made friends with local twins who lead them in a wild chasing game on the playground. Full and exercised they were willing to get back in the car for the hour and half drive through the west TX wilderness to Prude Ranch. Excitement grew in the car as we sighted for the first time mule deer, javelina and a roadrunner. We were amused by the sign, “Loose Livestock” and even more amused to drive through towns with cows wandering everywhere.

It was dark as we set up camp at Prude Ranch (www.prude-ranch.com). According to the website Grandma Prude came to the west on a covered wagon. After marrying Andrew Prude, the couple established a homestead in 1900. In 1921 they began the guest ranch to share the beauty of the ranch and cool summer months with city dwellers. At this late hour (losing an hour crossing back to Central Time) we looked forward to exploring in the morning.

May 7, 2008: Into the Wind

Location: TX, NM, White’s City RV Park. They say it is a resort. We are sitting in the middle of a desert landscape in a parking lot with other RVs within arm’s reach. But we have full hook ups, we made personal pizzas in our little oven and are cozily in our RV with the AC running. Who could ask for more?

Audio Books: Finished Four Story Mistake, Read more of More Valley, One More Hill, The Story of Aunt Clara Brown and listened to Shel Silverstein’s Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook.

Weather: WINDY! Warm (high 80’s, cooling off at night)

Begging to stay longer in Abilene the kids reluctantly loaded up for a day of viewing the flat desert landscape of west Texas. We saw many oil pumps, passed by Midland (President Bush’s hometown), and made a stop at Odessa Meteor Crater at lunch. The crater, though not too impressive of a size now due to erosion, is the second largest crater in the USA. It was created by metallic meteors that hit with such an impact that it made a crater 550 feet in diameter and 100 feet deep. Our picnic was made memorable by the wind that we thought was going to rip the door off the camper. We ended up eating in the car!

*** Picture: D leans into the wind.

We got off I-20 in Pecos, TX and were intrigued by the charm of the Wild West town. It is odd coming from the relatively new Atlanta area to see places so rural. After miles of what seemed to be nothing we came upon the town of White’s City. It is definitely not what I had envisioned (like maybe it would be a place we could conquer some of these mounds of laundry or get some groceries...). The town looks like something out of a western movie. We quickly readjusted our thinking and have enjoyed being in a place so different.

The itinerary begged us into Carlsbad Caverns for the nightly flight of the Mexican Free Tailed Bats. We made our way up the windy mountain road (thankfully we didn’t have to haul the camper up there.) The ranger talked to us for about 45 minutes about the bats and the caves. The bats migrate to the area so she wasn’t sure what the show would include tonight. About 7:50 p.m. (MT) they began to swarm out of the cave. There were 100’s tonight instead of the 100,000’s that there are in the summer. As the sun set they swooped out of the cave and came right over our heads as they headed out in search of moths and water. We enjoyed watching the few that we saw; I am sure the summer exodus must be very impressive. While watching the cave entrance we saw a ring tailed cat weaving in and out of the rock structures. That was just as about as exciting as the bats.

Back at the campsite we see the Creator in everything. We are impressed with the amount of stars that we can see. We see his handiwork in our lives as well. Though we are traveling through all these places, so much is still the same. A is smiling and eating again after battling a pretty bad cold, L entertained herself in the camper by creating dances to some classical music, D&J jump out at every stop armed with their sling shots looking for targets, M is content and happy to go wherever we are, E loves to keep track of where we are going next, S is continually thinking about what the next meal will be, K is always there seeing how she can help and C continues to make himself (and us) laugh with his own humor. We keep on moving as a unit, enjoying the uniqueness of each one.